This is a two-year programme for Leaving Certificate and includes a lot of practical work, tasks and work experience. There is continious assessment, which means that work completed over the two years is counted as part of the final result. Attendance is very important. You can find out more about the LCA programme at:

A. For the purpose of the LCA the school year is divided into 2 sessions, September to the end of January and February to June. The full 2 year programme has four sessions altogether.

Q. What is a module?

A. Each course is made up of a number of modules. A module represents approximately 30 hours i.e 3-4 class periods per week over one session.

Q. What is a key assignment?

A. Key assignments are learning outcomes selected from the module as being of key importance and are a minimum requirement along with at least 90% attendance to gain credit for a module.

Q. What is a task?

A. A task is a practical activity by which learning is applied to the development of a product, the investigation of an issue or the provision of a service. It plays a role in integrating the curriculum and should take at least 10 hours excluding the report.

Questions on the MODULES:

Q. How many modules must be covered?

A. If Hotel, Catering and Tourism is being completed as a Vocational Specialism, students must complete four modules (This can be checked with your LCA Coordinator).

Q. How many modules are available?

A. There are 4 modules to complete.

Module 1: Eating out the fast food way.

This module introduces students to the fast food sector of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism industry i.e take-aways, coffee shops, deli’s and pug grub operations.

Module 11. Hotels, restaurants and institutions.

This module introduces students to further sections of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism industry.

Module 111. Irish Hospitality

This module introduces students to hospitality and tourism experiences. They will research local and national travel and holiday options.

Module IV. Catering for Diversity

In this module students are given the opportunity to explore the influence of culture, politics and religion on diet and eating customs.

Q. Must the modules be taken in any particular order?

A. Module 1 in Session 1. Module 2, 3 and 4 can be completed in any order if it’s a Vocational Specialism.

Questions on the KEY ASSIGNMENTS:

Q. Can I write in my own key assignments?

A. No.

Q. Do students have to do all the key assignments?

A. Yes.

Q. Can key assignments be included in the student’s task?

A. Yes. Key assignments can be part of a student task but the task must be built upon and be greater than the key assignment.

Q. Do key assignments have to be stored for a particular length of time?

A. Yes. Until the appeals process for session 4 is over.

Questions on the TASK:

Q. Is there a task to complete?

A. Yes. A task has to be completed in modules 2 or 3 if it’s a Vocational Specialism.

Q. How many credits are allocated to a module of Hotel and Catering?

A. 1 credit if it’s a Vocational Specialism.

Questions on the WRITTEN EXAM:

Q. Is there a written exam?A. I it is a Vocational Specialism yes and it is timetabled as part of their Leaving Cert.

Q. How long is the written paper?

A. Students are allowed 1.5 hours to complete this paper.

Q. How many questions are on the written paper?

A. The paper has 4 sections based on the 4 modules. Each section has 2 questions (each question has 5 parts). Only 1 question in each section has to be completed (4 questions, each carrying 50 marks each).

Q. Are mock ‘written’ exam papers available?

A. Yes from the exam companies.

Questions on LCA Hotel, Catering and Tourism within Gort Community School:

Q. How many periods per week are required to complete Hotel, Catering & Tourism over 2 years?

A. It is recommended that a minimum of 4 classes per week be allocated to the course. These could be timetabled as follows: 3 periods timetabled as a block and a single period timetabled for another day or 2 double classes on different days – one double running up to lunch time to facilitate serving food.

In year 2, if possible 3 periods are often time tabled as a block. This is a good idea as the students will often be practising for their practical exam. (Duration of which is 2 hours).

Q. Do students have to have studied Junior Cert Home Economics to do Hotel and Catering?

A. No, it is not essential but the students who have done Home Economics find the cooking classes easier initially.

Q. What do I do if Hotel, Catering and Tourism is an elective in my school/centre?

A. First look at the number of classes of Hotel, Catering and Tourism on your timetable. If you have three or four periods then you will complete one module in the session. If you have two periods per week the module will take the full year. With Hotel, Catering and Tourism as an elective you can choose any module, in any order.